Galloping hobby horse



Feb. 18, 1958 Y H. B. SEGER 2,823,920

GALLOPING HOBBY HORSE Filed Jan. 51, 1955 INVENTOR. HA POL-D 5; 5565/? ATTORNEY United States Patent GALLOPING HOBBY HORSE Harold B. Seger, Wheatridge, Colo.

Application January 31, 1955, Serial No. 484,951

3 Claims. (Cl. 2801.196)

This invention relates to improvements in toys and has reference in particular to a galloping hobby horse.

-It is the object of this invention to produce a simple and substantial toy of the type indicated that can be propelled by pedals operated by the rider or pulled or pushed by some other person and which will impart to the horse a rocking movement simulating galloping.

Another object is to produce such a toy horse that can be steered by the use of bridle reins.

The above and other objects that maybecome apparent as the description proceeds or to which attention may be called are attained by means which will now be described in detail for which purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, in which the invention has been illustrated, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a view, partly in section, taken on line 44, Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral designates a supporting surface on which the device is supported. Numeral 11 designates the top member of the frame which is preferably formed from steel tubing and terminates at its rear end in a fork 12 whose spaced arms 13 terminate in bearings 14 in which is journaled an axle having opposed cranks 15. Wheels 16 are attached to the ends of the axle, one of the wheels being freely rotatable on the axle and the other, which serves as a drive wheel, being non-rotatably attached to the axle. The front end of the frame member is provided with a tubular bearing 17 in which the front wheel fork is journaled. The upper end of the front wheel fork is provided with a cross bar 18 that corresponds to the handle bar of a bicycle or tricycle. A check rein 19 is attached to the ends of the cross bar 18 so that the rider can control the direction of movement in a manner similar to that in which a horse is actually guided. A pipe 20 is welded to frame member 11 1n a manner somewhat as shown in Figure 3, either in the same axial plane as shown, or on top of or underneath frame member 11 and pivots 21 depend from opposite ends thereof wherein they are fixedly attached in the particular form shown although other well-known constructions can also be used. Levers of the bell crank type have elongated pedal arms 22 and crank arms 23, and their apex provided with an opening for the reception of pivots 21 on which they are mounted for rocking movement. The free ends of crank arms 23 are pivotally connected with connecting rods 24 whose 2,823,920 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 other ends are operatively connected with cranks 15. The rider sits with his feet resting on pedals 25 and by alternately pressing the pedals downwardly rotates the drive axle and propels the toy. Mounted on the tricycle-like device that has just been described is a Wooden horse similar to those used in carrousels. The horse H is, of course, of the proper size to fit the tricycle and is attached to the ends of pipe 20 by bearings 26 as shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 3. To control the rocking of the horse a connecting rod 27 has its lower end :pivotally attached to one of the cranks and its upper end attached to one of the hind legs 28 by a pivot 29. When the device is moved over a surface by the rider who turns the rear axle by means of the pedals, or, if it is pulled, by means of tension exerted on the rope or other tension member 30, the horse will rock about its pivots 20 due to the action of connecting rod 27. When used for a small child, the pedals and the connecting rods 24 may be omitted and conventional stirrups substituted, in which case the device must be pulled or pushed by another party. Attention is called in particular to the fact that the horse is mounted for rocking movement on pipe 20 and this permits the tricycle portion to be manufactured complete and that the horse can be readily positioned in place. When the device is shipped the horse is removed and the two parts boxed separately.

The device above described, when propelled along a surface, simulates the action of a galloping horse and is a favorite with young boys, who can pretend they are cowboys.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination: a frame, a forked steering post journaled in the forward end of the frame, a front steerable Wheel mounted in the fork, a cross bar mounted on the upper end of the fork, a rear drive axle having opposed cranks journaled for rotation on the rear end of the frame, rear drive wheels mounted on the ends of the drive axle, a transverse element mounted intermediate the ends of the frame, pivots depending from upposite ends of the transverse element, crank means mounted on each of the pivots, a pedal on each of the crank means, connecting rods interconnecting each of the crank means with one of the opposed cranks on the drive axle to effect rotation thereof, a miniature horse body mounted on the transverse element for rock ing movement relative to the frame, and link means connected between one of the opposed cranks on the drive axle and the horse body.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the crank means comprises a bell crank having one end provided with the pedal and the other end connected to the connecting rod.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which a rein is attached to the opposite ends of the cross bar and encincles the neck of the horse body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 895,675 Peppler Aug. 11, 1908 984,648 Caswell Feb. 21, 1911 1,561,538 Hotf Nov. 17, 1925 1,574,843 Nowak et al. Mar. 2, 1926 

